French Apple Cake is a delicious twist to traditional apple pie, consisting of softened apple slices that are infused with brandy and baked in a buttery vanilla cake batter. Serve it with whipped cream, crème fraîche or ice cream.
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🗝️ Recipe’s key points
- This French apple cake is an incredibly simple dessert consisting of sweet sauteed apples baked in cake batter!
- It’s one of those cakes that can easily be enjoyed for a sweet breakfast or dessert.
- Easily adapt this French apple cake with some simple ingredients swaps.
This simple and unassuming French Apple Cake with brandy-infused apple slices and butter vanilla cake batter is a truly scrumptious treat that everyone should try.
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Preheat the oven at 375 degrees F with a rack in the middle position. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with butter, and then dust it evenly with flour. Tap out any excess flour and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Stir the heated butter until it becomes golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 1-3 minutes.
- Pour the melted butter into a small heatproof bowl without scraping out the skillet.
- Stir the allspice into the butter and set the bowl aside.
- Add all of the apple slices into the skillet with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the salt and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until all of the moisture from the apples has evaporated and the slices are starting to brown. This will take about 12-15 minutes.
- Add in the brandy and cook for 30-60 seconds, until evaporated. Transfer the apple slices to a large plate and spread them out evenly. Refrigerate the slices, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes so that they are cool to the touch.
- Whisk the flour and baking powder in a small bowl.
- Whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, and 9 tablespoons of the remaining sugar in a large bowl.
- Gradually whisk in the browned butter. Add the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. The batter should be quite thick.
- Add the cooled apple slices to the bowl and fold them into the batter until evenly coated.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread the mixture evenly.
- Sprinkle the top of the batter with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes, until deeply browned. Let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours.
- Lightly dust the cooled cake with Confectioners sugar. Remove the cake from the pan by running a knife around the inside of the pan. Slice and enjoy!
🥫 Storage
Once completely cool, wrap the entire apple cake or leftover slices with plastic wrap and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
You can also freeze this French apple cake for up to 3 months, wrapped in plastic wrap and again in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw the cake and bring it to room temperature to enjoy.
📚 Variations
- I use Granny Smith apples in this French apple cake recipe, but feel free to use your favorite kind. You could also use a combination of sweet apples and tart apples for a full, complex flavor.
- I use a springform pan to bake this French apple cake, but you can use a regular cake pan. If you use a regular cake pan, make sure to remove parchment paper from the bottom and carefully flip the cake over so that it sits right-side-up on a cake stand or platter.
- Experiment with pears or peaches as a delicious fruit alternative to apples in your cake.
- Make gluten-free French apple cake with your favorite brand of gluten-free flour. Bob’s Red Mill is a convenient 1:1 substitution.
- Use rum extract or another dark alcohol, such as cognac or dark rum, instead of brandy.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- The cake must be completely cool before you slice it or it will be overly soft in the center and will likely crumble apart.
- Don’t scrape the browned butter from the bottom of the skillet when you pour the butter into the small bowl. There should be a skim coat of butter in the skillet for the apple slices to cook in.
- Conduct the toothpick test if you aren’t sure whether your cake is completely done. If wet batter clings to the inserted and removed toothpick, the cake will need an extra 5-10 minutes in the oven.
🤔 FAQs
The exact history of French apple cake is hard to establish. What is agreed on from historical records of French culinary traditions is that baking with seasoning fruits was and remains common practice.
The term “French cake” can refer to a variety of cake recipes that are popular in French baking. Some of these cakes include layers of meringue, ganache, pastry cream, jam, or softened fruits, while others are as simple as plain vanilla sponge cake with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Rum extract is a good substitute for dark rum in apple cake. You will need 2 teaspoons of the extract for every 15ml of dark rum. Another dark liquor, such as cognac or brandy can also be used instead of dark rum.
Dorie Greenspan is a popular American author of cookbooks with an emphasis on baking, although she also cooks and writes about savory dishes. She is also famous for her French apple cake recipe, which is similar to this one.
- Old-Fashioned Homemade Apple Pie – If you’re in the mood for a classic apple pie, this recipe isn’t to be skipped! It boasts thin and soft apples slices with rich cinnamon sugar flavor, nestled on a refrigerated crust base, and topped with a pretty weaved crust – perfect for the holidays.
- Easy Apple Dumplings – If an enclosed pastry is more in line with your cravings, these apple dumplings won’t disappoint. The tender apples are wrapped in crescent rolls with a rich caramel sauce drizzle.
- Caramel Apple Pie Bars – Enjoy all of the flavors of a traditional apple pie without any of the work that goes into making an entire pie!
- Caramel Apple Pecan Ice Cream—This no-churn ice cream is two desserts in one. It’s so easy and creamy that you’ll want to have it on hand year-round.
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📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
Whenever you’re ready to take your baking skills to the next level and impress your friends and family, this French cake recipe will do it. Picture this: sweet and tart apples nestled in a light and fluffy cake, with hints of allspice and vanilla dancing on your taste buds.
Remembering the deliciousness of this apple cake makes my mouth water. But the best part? It’s easier to make than you think! Once you try it, you’ll discover how simple ingredients can come together to create a masterpiece that will steal the spotlight at any gathering.
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a newbie in the kitchen, this French Apple Cake dessert will surely become a staple in your culinary repertoire.
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📖 Recipe
Best French Apple Cake Recipe With Sugared Top
French Apple Cake is a delicious twist to traditional apple pie, consisting of softened apple slices that are infused with brandy and baked in a buttery vanilla cake batter. Serve with whipped cream, crème fraîche or ice cream.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 280kcal
As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons salted butter 1 stick, plus more for pans
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1-½ pounds Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 1 pound Braeburn or Golden Delicious apples peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 12 tablespoons white sugar 149 grams white sugar, divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons brandy or Calvados
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 95 grams, plus more for pans
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon confectioner’s sugar optional
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 375ºF with a rack in the middle position. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with butter, dust evenly with flour, then tap out the excess.
-
Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Cook, swirling the pan frequently until the milk solids at the bottom are golden brown and the butter has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Pour into a small heatproof bowl without scraping out the skillet. ** see notesStir the allspice into the butter and set aside.
-
Add all of the apples, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and salt to the still-hot skillet and set over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all moisture released by the apples has evaporated and the slices are beginning to brown for 12 to 15 minutes. Add the brandy and cook until evaporated 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to a large plate, spread in an even layer and refrigerate uncovered until cool to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and 9 tablespoons of the remaining sugar. Gradually whisk in the browned butter. Add the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth; the batter will be very thick. Add the cooled apples and fold until evenly coated with batter.Transfer to the prepared pan, spread in an even layer and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
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Bake until deeply browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours. Lightly dust with Confectioners Sugar. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and remove the sides before slicing.
Notes
Don’t slice the cake until it has fully cooled; if it is at all warm, the texture at the center will be too soft.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 456IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
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